BIG MATCH PREVIEW: IRON v OXFORD UNITED

25 November 2016

The Iron will be aiming to make it six league victories on the bounce when they take on Oxford United at Glanford Park.

Successive wins against Chesterfield, Swindon Town, Coventry City, Oldham Athletic and Peterborough United have firmly cemented United’s place at the top of League One, but Graham Alexander will be looking for another three points this weekend.

The U’s come into the game on a high themselves though, after racking up back-to-back wins over Coventry and Gillingham.

Alexander revealed that captain Stephen Dawson is doing better than expected, following his withdrawal in the second half of Tuesday’s win against the Posh.

He added that the Irishman is a doubt for the weekend’s fixture though, and says he’ll wait to hear from the medical team as to whether he’s fit or not.

David Mirfin is the other major injury casualty in the United squad, with a foot injury picked up at Coventry, and Alexander believes it’s a matter of patience with regards to the 31-year-old’s fitness.

A Matt Sparrow strike was enough to see off Oxford 1-0 and put the Iron on the cusp of promotion, the last time the two sides met.

United dominated for large parts of the game at Glanford Park, with the victory all but sealing United’s passage to League One.

SEASON/DATE

COMPETITION

RESULT

IRON SCORERS

2013-14 - Mon 21 Apr

LG 2

Iron 1-0 Oxford

Sparrow

2013-14 - Sun 29 Dec

LG 2

Oxford 0-2 Iron

Burton, Syers

2004-05 - Fri 25 Mar

LG 2

Iron 1-1 Oxford

Baraclough

2004-05 - Sat 14 Aug

LG 2

Oxford 1-1 Iron

Hayes

2003-04 - Wed 11 Feb

DIV 3

Oxford 3-2 Iron

Torpey 2

2003-04 - Sat 23 Aug

DIV 3

Iron 1-1 Oxford

Beagrie

2002-03 - Sat 26 Apr

DIV 3

Iron 2-0 Oxford

Hayes, Dalglish

2002-03 - Sat 5 Oct

DIV 3

Oxford 0-1 Iron

Beagrie

2001-02 - Sat 9 Feb

DIV 3

Iron 1-0 Oxford

Hodges

2001-02 - Sat 20 Oct

DIV 3

Oxford 0-1 Iron

Torpey

1999-00 - Sat 29 Apr

DIV 2

Oxford 2-0 Iron

1999-00 - Tue 19 Oct

DIV 2

Iron 1-0 Oxford

Ipoua

1983-84 - Sat 31 Mar

DIV 3

Oxford 1-0 Iron

1983-84 - Wed 7 Sep

DIV 3

Iron 0-0 Oxford

1967-68 - Sat 30 Dec

DIV 3

Oxford 2-3 Iron

Deere 2, Sloan

1967-68 - Tue 26 Dec

DIV 3

Iron 1-1 Oxford

Sloan

1966-67 - Fri 10 Mar

DIV 3

Iron 2-2 Oxford

Barton, Sloan

1966-67 - Sat 18 Feb

DIV 3

Oxford 2-1 Iron

Burkinshaw

1965-66 - Sat 28 May

DIV 3

Oxford 0-3 Iron

Thomas, Bedford, Mahy

1965-66 - Sat 30 Oct

DIV 3

Iron 1-2 Oxford

Smith

Our full record against Oxford United is as follows:

P

W

D

L

F

A

Home

10

4

5

1

11

7

Away

10

5

1

4

14

11

TOTAL

20

9

6

5

25

18

Chris Maguire is Oxford’s top scorer this season, with eight goals to his name in all competitions.

Seven of those strikes have come in the league, and the Scotsman has built on a strong start to his U’s career, after joining the club in February of this year.